Wetland Terms – L-M

L-M [lake–mussels]

landfill: a huge pit in the ground that is lined with clay or plastic and filled with garbage. Layers of garbage are spread out and alternated with layers of dirt or plastic.

larva (plural, larvae): the immature stage of an organism that usually looks different from the adult form of the organism.

latitude: the angular distance on Earth's surface north or south of the equator, expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

leeches: an aquatic macroinvertebrate of the phylum Annelida, class Hirudinea; aquatic worms that do not have legs; tolerant of pollution.

leopard frog: Rana pipiens. Found all over the United States; lives in scrub, desert, ponds, rivers, and meadows, but prefers swamps in the summer; brown or green with small spots on the side; usually 2–3.5 inches long.

longitude: the angular distance on Earth's surface east or west of the prime meridian, expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

macroinvertebrates: organisms without a backbone that are large enough to be seen with the unaided eye.

marsh: an area of low-lying wetland; a swamp; a bog.

mayfly: an aquatic macroinvertebrate of the order Ephemeroptera; larvae have three pairs of legs, one pair of antennae, three long tail filaments, and feathery or plate-like gills on their abdomen; sensitive to pollution.

microbe: a microorganism; a minute life form.

microorganism: an organism of microscopic size; especially a bacterium or protozoan.

midge: an aquatic macroinvertebrate of the order Diptera; a true fly; larvae are very small, often C-shaped and have a spastic, squirming movement; they attach themselves to debris with tiny legs; larvae are tolerant of pollution.

minute of latitude/longitude: a unit of measurement equal to 1/60 of a degree. One minute equals 60 seconds latitude or longitude.

moisture content: amount of wetness.

mollusk: a marine macroinvertebrate of the phylum Mollusca; a shellfish.

moratorium: a delay of action; a suspension.

musk thistle: Carduus nutans; an exotic invasive plant, originally from Asia and Europe, that grows in a clearing (meadow or field).

multiflora rose: Rosa multiflora; an exotic invasive plant, originally from Japan, Korea, or Eastern China, that grows at the wood's edge and in swamp forest (intermittently flooded lowland forest).

mullet: an edible fish of the family Mugilidae found worldwide in tropical and temperate coastal waters and some freshwater streams.
mussels: marine bivalve mollusks.